Memories Forgotten
by FroggieSue
Summary: This is the story of an OC that I have had in mind for a while. I'm glad to finally have a place to share it. You should find a lot of familiar faces within.


Cinda Lawson stared out the window of the plane as it descended into London's Heathrow airport. She had turned thirteen the week before, two days before losing both of her parents in a home invasion. She felt as if her world was falling apart, and she was still trying to figure out how she had ended up on a plane to England. All she knew was that her case worker had received a letter from a man named Albus Dumbledore claiming that she had been accepted by his boarding school. He had even included a letter from her parents that said it was their wish that she be sent to Mr. Dumbledore's school if anything ever happened to them.

Before Cinda could fully comprehend what was going on, a suitcase of her belongings had been packed for her and she had been put on a plane. She was told to find a Rubeus Hagrid after she arrived. She had been assured that she would have no trouble finding the man in the lobby.

The plane touched down and taxied over to the terminal. Cinda drew in a deep breath, reaching into the bin overhead to retrieve her one suitcase. She slowly made her way off the plane and through the terminal with the rest of the people who had been on the plane with her, slowly becoming aware of a loud voice.

"Cinda! 'm lookin' fer a Cinda Lawson! This way, Cinda! 'm over 'ere!"

Cinda's eyes widened at the sight of the large man towering over everyone else in the airport lounge. She had never seen anyone so big in her life. He was wearing some kind of thick coat, and his black hair and beard were shaggy and draped over his shoulders. Her voice came out in a squeak as she approached him. "I-I'm Cinda Lawson," she informed him.

The man stared down at her, his coal black eyes twinkling and wrinkles forming around the edges of his eyes as he smiled. "Well, o' course you are!" he bellowed in response. He either didn't notice the startled reactions of the people around them, or he chose to ignore them. He clapped a hand on Cinda's shoulder, causing her knees to buckle and took her suitcase from her. "'m sure you already know this from the letter, but I am Rubeus Hagrid. Most o' the students and staff jus' call me Hagrid. I am Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwart's."

Cinda nodded slowly, trying to appear braver than she felt. "Hogwart's. That's the school that Mr. Dumbledore mentioned in his letter. I never got to see it, but that's where Mrs. Jackson said I'm going." She looked up at the huge man. "Do you know how my parents know Mr. Dumbledore or why they wanted me to come here to his school if something happened to them?"

"I think tha's somethin' you need ta discuss with Dumbledore," Hagrid commented as he led Cinda through the airport lounge and outside.

"Will I be meeting him soon?" Cinda inquired.

"Very soon," Hagrid confirmed. "I 'ope ya don' mind walkin' cause I don' do too good on those Mug.. normal contraptions. We go' a few blocks ta go."

Cinda nodded. "I don't mind walking. It'll give me a good chance to see part of London." She practically ran to keep up with Hagrid's long strides. "Where are we going?"

"Place called The Leaky Cauldron. Dumbledore's go' some folks there he wants ya ta meet," Hagrid answered.

Cinda sighed and wondered just how many people she was going to have to meet before she was finally able to lay eyes on the one who had brought her into this country. She was tired, and she wanted some answers. It seemed as if no one had told her the truth since the night her parents had died.

After what felt like hours, Hagrid pushed open the door of a bar.

"Umm, Hagrid?" Cinda hesitated to follow the huge man. "I don't think I'm allowed in a place like this. I'm not old enough."

Hagrid laughed, the sound echoing both inside the bar and out onto the street. "Trus' me, Cinda. Yer old enough fer The Leaky Cauldron." He patted her back and almost made her pitch forward onto the steps. "Come on, now. I can 'ear th' others waitin'."

Cinda took a deep breath and slowly followed the huge man inside. Her eyes widened as she looked around at what appeared to be a sea of freckled faces with bright red hair.

"Are you sure this is the best solution?" the man questioned, his greasy hair falling over in front of his shoulders. He paced slowly back and forth in front of the desk, his black eyes glittering in thought. "You already have your hands full with Potter and his two side kicks. Why throw a third one into the mix – especially one who is so dismally unaware of her true nature?"

The man sitting behind the desk had long grey hair that fell past his elbows and twinkling blue eyes that looked out on the world from behind a pair of wire-rimmed eyeglasses. He wore a pointed blue hat that matched his flowing robes perfectly. He rested his elbows on top of the desk and steepled his fingers together as he studied the pacing man. "Have you honestly forgotten the measures most of us took to ensure our children's safety, Severus? Who are we to deny a parents' request when their only child has lost the only sure safety he or she has had? Are you so callous as to deny that child sanctuary?"

Severus sighed and shook his head. "You talk, Dumbledore, as if this girl's safety is as important as Potter's."

Dumbledore didn't flinch. "Who are we to say that one child is more important that the other. Yes, Harry has a destiny that cannot be denied. Does that make any other child less worthy?"

"Why are we even bothering to discuss this?" Severus asked.

Dumbledore slowly stood to his feet. "I have a hunch that Miss Lawson will be sorted into your House. I would like for you to keep an eye on her, Severus. Make sure that she settles in and starts to feel at home, especially in light of recent events."

Severus stopped pacing. "Then you are really allowing dementors to have access to the school?"

"I am allowing nothing. The Ministry is insisting that they patrol our boundaries. I cannot stop them from doing that." Dumbledore made a face that showed how much he detested the beings. "Having them around will make Miss Lawson's acclimation that much harder."


End file.
